More ominously, Haldron added in a low voice, “Then again, only one other Sealed man has ever left Lirien. And who would that be, Seren?”
His challenging tone made my resolve strengthen. Haldron meant to intimidate me before I even had a chance to speak a word. Paint us both as villains.
“My father,” I said, lifting my chin toward Haldron. “And while that is an intriguing coincidence, that has nothing to do with the fact that I claimed this man with an ancient oath that makes him my spouse and soulmate. It cannot be broken. To reject the legitimacy of my claim would be to invite chaos into our ranks, undermining the very foundation of our people.”
Haldron leaned forward, his blue-green eyes—so unnervingly familiar—fixed on mine. I tore my eyes away. “An oath made in desperation cannot bind us. You used it to save yourself, not for the good of the Viori. Tell me, Seren, why should we allow you the chance at the Skorn trial? Why shouldn’t we strike you and this Lirien down right now?”
I didn’t flinch. “Desperation doesn’t invalidate the oath’s power. The gods do not grant such oaths lightly, and they do not allow them to be invoked falsely. The Oath of Bryndis is ancient, yes, but ancient oaths cannot be ignored simply because they are inconvenient.”
I couldn’t afford to appear meek, nor could I come off as too bold. Every word mattered now. I glanced toward the gathered court, appealing to their fears and doubt.
“This isn’t about my survival. The Liriens bind the gifts granted to us by the gods themselves. The Bloodbinding is a defiance of divine will. But the Oath of Bryndis was also given to us by a goddess. So was the Pendaran life debt.”
Then my eyes narrowed at Haldron. “You claim to want to do the will of the gods. Any Ibarran scholar can tell you this oath makes this man mine to claim. Our lives—our very souls—are bound. I am his. And he is mine. If I am Viori, then so is he.”
Haldron shook his head slowly. “And what’s to stop other Viori from twisting ancient laws against us?”
A member of Haldron’s council—a thick, corpulent man—spoke from the dais. “The Oath of Bryndis has not been invoked in living memory. The texts that she speaks of are locked away in restricted areas of our repository, my lord. The chances of it being repeated are slim. But that still does nothing to foster trust in this Lirien.”
I seized the moment, my pulse thundering in my ears. “You don’t have to trust him. Trust me.” The words left my mouth faster than I could second-guess them. I forced myself to hold Haldron’s gaze, fighting the tremor that threatened to creep into my voice. “Trust that I acted not out of fear, but faith in the divine will of our gods and the oaths—and curses—they gave us. If we discard those declarations from the gods, we are no better than the Liriens who support the Bloodbinding.”
A cold silence followed, and for a heartbeat, I worried. Had I said too much?
Time stretched unbearably, every second like a death knell. Haldron’s expression remained unreadable, but I caught the faintest flicker of doubt in the faces around us.
Seth stepped forward, his voice steady. “Seren acted not for herself alone but for the sake of our people’s laws. That is why our council chose to leave her fate to the gods through the Skorn trial. What’s more, skinwraiths attacked our tribe yesterday. The Lirien single-handedly saved us all. I owe him my life. What remains of our tribe does as well. We’ve come to seek refuge.”
Seth? The man who’d sworn he wouldn’t help me? I struggled to keep my jaw from falling slack as the room gasped collectively.
Haldron’s face colored. “Skinwraiths?” He stalked toward Rykr. “How did you defeat them?” His question was stated as a demand.
Rykr kept his gaze averted. “I froze them in a blast of ice, then crumbled it.”
“Clever. A clever couple.” Haldron studied Rykr for a moment longer, his eyes flicking toward his hair. “Though I can’t say I’ve ever heard of a Pendaran with the ability to wield ice.”
Worry hummed inside me, stemming from the bond. “The oath that bonded us transferred some of my abilities to him,” I cut in sharply.
“I see.” Haldron’s lips formed a hard line.
He turned slowly, his eyes sweeping across the gathered councilors, as if weighing their reactions before speaking. “The Oath of Bryndis is not a matter to be taken lightly,” he said at last. “Seren Ragnall has invoked it, and by our laws, we are bound to respect it.
“The Lirien will be allowed to remain among us, under the protection of Seren’s oath. Both shall be admitted into the Skorn trial.” He turned away.
“My lord—” I said sharply, my voice strong now. “When the Skorn trial was established, those sentenced were given the chance to cleanse and purify themselves before the gods. I request my husband be freed from his irons and granted this clemency—as was the tradition for centuries.”
A hush came over the watching crowd.
Haldron paused mid-step. After a moment, he swiveled toward me. “As I said, you’re a clever woman, Seren Ragnall.”
“We are nothing without our traditions, my lord.”
Please let this work. Both of us needed rest before the trial.
As the room held its breath, a gentle smile played at Haldron’s lips. “Very well. If the Lirien has been as heroic as Waldren Azad claims, his irons can be removed as he heals and cleanses his soul before the gods. But understand this, Seren. If he betrays us, the consequences will be yours to bear. The gods will decide your fate at the trial in two days. You must present yourself at the gates of the keep at sunset.”
Solric above. Had it worked? He was letting us walk out of here—free—until the Skorn?
Some of the tension in my shoulders eased. “Yes, my lord. Are we free to go anywhere in Emberstone we wish?”
